Vehicle lamp

• US 8,382,351 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Tomomi, Kazaoka, Shigehiko
• Primary Examiner(s): DUNWIDDIE, MEGHAN K
• Application Number:
  US13/004,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20110170307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 362/234, 36224901-24902, 362/253, 362/509, 362/511, 362516-517, 362/520, 362543-545
• US Class Current: 362/517
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/15 Strips of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/235 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/315 using total internal reflection

Abstract

In a vehicle lamp (1), a plurality of LED light sources (11) are arranged on a common substrate (12). A light guiding lens (13) elongated in a direction in which the LED light sources (11) are aligned is provided. A plurality of reflecting sections (22) are provided on the light guiding lens (13). The reflecting sections (22) are configured to individually reflect incident lights from the respective LED light sources (11) to a periphery of a vehicle. Respective directions of the reflecting sections (22) are made to differ in accordance with positions of the corresponding LED light sources (11).

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp comprising:

a common substrate;

a plurality of LED light sources arranged on the common substrate;

a light guiding lens elongated in a direction in which the LED light sources are aligned, the plurality of the LED light sources arranged above the light guiding lens; and

a plurality of reflecting sections disposed on lower of the light guiding lens and configured to individually reflect incident lights from the respective LED light sources to a periphery of a vehicle, wherein respective directions of the reflecting sections are made to differ in accordance with positions of the corresponding LED light sources.

2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein each of the LED light sources has an optical axis extending in a substantially vertical direction.

3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the light guiding lens includes:

a mounting portion by which the light guiding lens is attached to a housing of a door mirror; and

a hook portion by which the substrate is attached to the light guiding lens.

4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of reflecting sections are formed so as to direct further rearwards of the vehicle as the plurality of reflecting sections are spaced apart from a vehicle body.

6. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, further comprising an outer cover which covers the LED light sources and the light guiding lens, wherein a positioning structure for positioning the outer cover with respect to a housing of a door mirror is provided on the outer cover.

7. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein each of the reflecting sections reflects incident light from a substantially vertical direction to a substantially horizontal direction.

8. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein a number of the reflecting sections is equal to a number of the LED light sources.

9. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein each of the reflecting sections totally reflects incident light from a corresponding one of the LED light sources in a substantially horizontal direction.

10. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the light guiding lens comprises incident portions comprising convex lenses on which light from the LED light source is incident individually.

11. The vehicle lamp according to claim 10, wherein a number of the incident portions is equal to a number of the LED light sources.

5. A vehicle lamp comprising:

a common substrate;

a plurality of LED light sources arranged on the common substrate;

light guiding lens elongated in a direction in which the LED light sources are aligned;

a plurality of reflecting sections provided on the light guiding lens and configured to individually reflect incident lights from the respective LED light sources to a periphery of a vehicle, wherein respective directions of the reflecting sections are made to differ in accordance with positions of the corresponding LED light sources; and

an outer cover which covers the LED light sources and the light guiding lens,

wherein the outer cover includes;

a light transmission portion that transmits light emitted from the light guiding lens; and

a light cut-off portion that cuts off light directly emitted from the LED light sources.

12. A vehicle lamp comprising:

a common substrate;

a plurality of LED light sources arranged on the common substrate;

a light guiding lens elongated in a direction in which the LED light sources are aligned; and

a plurality of reflecting sections provided on the light guiding lens and configured to individually reflect incident lights from the respective LED light sources to a periphery of a vehicle, wherein respective directions of the reflecting sections are made to differ in accordance with positions of the corresponding LED light sources,

wherein each of the reflecting sections reflects incident light from a substantially vertical direction to a substantially horizontal direction.